Scientists Show 'n Tell

Displays of 130 health science-related research projects currently under way at Tulane and lectures by two prominent researchers will be highlights of the annual Health Sciences Research Days, hosted by the Tulane School of Medicine on Feb. 11 and 12.

“The whole event is open to the public,” says William C. Wimley, associate professor of biochemistry and lead judge for the poster presentations. “Health Sciences Research Days is an event we hold every year that allows researchers doing health-related research — from the basic sciences to the clinical sciences — to gather together to display their work and get to know what's going on around Tulane.”

The event takes place in the atrium of the J. Bennett Johnston Health and Environmental Research Building at 1324 Tulane Ave. Outstanding presentations will receive awards, followed by a reception.

Researchers from throughout the university will present entries, including those from the School of Medicine, the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, the Tulane National Primate Research Center and the School of Science and Engineering. The researchers may be graduate, medical or undergraduate students, or they may be post-doctoral students, medical residents or fellows. Faculty members also submit entries.

Among the highlights of the event are talks by respected researchers. “We feature one internal speaker, so we get to hear about research being carried on here at Tulane, and we also bring in a prominent external speaker, a researcher from outside the Tulane community,” says Wimley.

Myron Schwartz, the Henry Kaufmann Professor of Surgery at Mount Sinai Hospital, N.Y., will present the 10th Annual Dr. and Mrs. Michael A. Gerber Memorial Research Lecture on “Molecular Prognosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma,” on Feb. 11 at noon at 1430 Tulane Ave., room 6065.

The second lecturer will be Robert F. Garry, professor of microbiology and immunology and assistant dean for graduate studies in biomedical sciences. He will present the Seventh Annual Tulane Health Sciences Research Days Lecture on “Entry of Enveloped Viruses into Target Cells: New Insights and Drug Therapies,” on Feb. 12 at 2 p.m. at 1440 Canal St., Diboll Auditorium.

During the poster sessions, researchers remain with their displays to answer questions during the judging period.

“Approximately 50 faculty members, recruited from around Tulane, serve as judges,” says Wimley. “Each presentation is assessed by three judges, and the criteria they use are those used by the National Institutes of Health to judge applications for grants.”

The judges will assess the importance of each research problem that is being addressed. They will evaluate the effectiveness of the researchers' approach and if it provides insight into the problem.

“This event is one of the greatest sources of information exchange between the different campuses,” says Wimley.

Information on Health Sciences Research Days, including abstracts for proposed displays, is posted online.